Zhangjiakou: 14th Five-Year Plan Drives Major Leaps in R&D Investment and Tech Commercialization

(Jishi Client Report by Chen Weiwei, Zhang Long, and Guo Lichao, Hebei TV Station) Zhangjiakou has made significant strides in scientific and technological innovation during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period (2021-2025), according to a press conference held on December 30 by the Municipal Information Office. Driven by a robust innovation-led development strategy, the city has seen a steady enhancement in its overall innovative capacity.

By 2024, the city's total societal spending on research and development (R&D) had reached 1.465 billion yuan. This marks a substantial increase of 66.67% compared to the end of the "13th Five-Year Plan" period, representing an average annual growth rate of 13.62%—3.62 percentage points higher than the initial target. Furthermore, the transaction value of technology contracts surged from 372 million yuan at the end of the previous period to an impressive 4.06 billion yuan in 2024, with an average annual increase of 1.23 billion yuan. These figures underscore that technological innovation is becoming a powerful engine fueling the city's high-quality development.

The growth in enterprise numbers further illustrates this success. By the conclusion of the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, the number of high-tech enterprises, national sci-tech SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises), and provincial sci-tech SMEs are projected to grow significantly from the end of the "13th Five-Year Plan" period. Specifically, they are expected to rise from 250 to 422 high-tech enterprises (a 1.69-fold increase), from 83 to 1,517 national sci-tech SMEs (an 18.28-fold increase), and from 2,413 to 5,026 provincial sci-tech SMEs (a 2.08-fold increase). Additionally, the city is now home to 15 "Little Giant" firms—specialized and sophisticated enterprises that produce novel and unique products. The first batch of two provincial-level tech backbone enterprises has also been recognized. Notably, Zhangjiakou Jingxi Zhixing Technology Group Co., Ltd. has secured its place on the Global Unicorn List for two consecutive years.

Collaboration with the Beijing-Tianjin region has also been a key focus throughout the "14th Five-Year Plan" period. By fostering close technological partnerships between local enterprises, universities, and research institutions and their counterparts in the capital region, Zhangjiakou has successfully attracted high-quality projects and achievements. The total value of technology contracts absorbed from Beijing and Tianjin has reached 18.62 billion yuan over this period, an impressive 1.75 times the total from the entire "13th Five-Year Plan" era.

Source: Hebei Radio and Television Station, Jishi Client